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Sevres porcelain marks date to the mid 1750's when it is claimed that French King Louis XV granted royal status to the manufactory of what was then soft porcelain (fired at relatively low temperatures and known as "frit-porcelain") and which was soon to be re-located to the French town of Sevres. It would not be until much later that a large supply of kaolin would be discovered in the Limoges region and the Saxon method of producing translucent "hard" porcelain would supersede old methods.
The king was so committed to the venture that he maintained a substantial ownership in the business. Hence, the Sevres mark adopted a pair of blue Latinized crossed "L"'s as its symbol, also referred to as "double-Louis". Many variations followed throughout the remainder of the 18th Century. The Sevres marks also have become some of the most copied in all of antique porcelain. Many cottage workers produced knock-offs of Sevres throughout Europe, using porcelain blanks that were cast off and known as "seconds".
As is the case with most rare antique china, the buyer must beware of forgeries. Trained collectors can tell in many cases the age and authenticity of a purported Sevres china piece by examining the detail, coloration, and artistry without even viewing the Sevres mark on the underside.
For more on the history of Sevres porcelain, click here.
To see a more complete listing of porcelain marking, go to:
Porcelain Marks.
(Marks to the left courtesy of Rene Ruthgeerts at http://users.skynet.be/rutrene/marks20.html.) |
The following images are a survey of the marks on items for sale on eBay on 09/12/2006. All items were represented to be "Sevres" and not "Sevres Style". However, We do not make any claim to know the authenticity of these marks as valid Sevres and not imitations. They are presented here as guidelines only.
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